Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled development projects worth Rs 21,400 crore in Bihar’s Aurangabad district on Saturday. The PM unveiled the projects at an official function in Ratanwa village.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Governor Rajendra V Arlekar, Deputy CMs Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, and several Union ministers were among those present at the programme.
“It is a privilege for me to come to Bihar, the land of knowledge. I am addressing a programme for inauguration and laying the foundation stone for various development projects in Aurangabad. Aurangabad gave birth to many freedom fighters and great personalities such as Bihar Vibhuti Shri Anugrah Narayan,” the PM said while speaking at the function.
This was Modi’s first visit to Bihar since the BJP-led NDA returned to power in the state after CM Nitish Kumar, who heads the JD(U), dumped the ‘Mahagathbandhan’. Earlier, the Bihar governor and the CM welcomed the prime minister on his arrival at Gaya International Airport.
Addressing the programme, Kumar told the prime minister that he would remain in the NDA forever.
Modi unveiled national highway projects worth over Rs 18,100 crore. He also laid the foundation stone for a six-lane bridge over the Ganga river, which will be constructed parallel to the existing JP Ganga Setu.
He dedicated to the nation three railway projects, which include the doubling of the Pataliputra-Pahleja line and a 26-km-long new line between Bandhua and Paimar.
The PM also inaugurated 12 projects worth over 2,190 crore under the Namami Gange scheme. These include sewerage treatment plants in Patna, Sonepur, Naugachia and Chapra.
The prime minister also laid the foundation stone for the Amas-Darbhanga four-lane corridor, Danapur-Bihta four-lane elevated road and Sherpur-Dighwara phase of Patna Ring Road.
“The present government completes projects on time and dedicates them to the nation. This is Modi’s guarantee,” the PM said while highlighting the style of working of the NDA dispensation at the Centre.
Modi underlined that the people of Bihar, especially the citizens of Aurangabad, are eagerly waiting for the Varanasi-Kolkata Expressway as it will reduce travel time between Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal to a few hours.
The PM said the road projects will change the picture of cities such as Patna, Nalanda, Jahanabad, Gaya, Vaishali, Samastipur and Darbhanga.
Places, known for tourist destinations, such as Bodhgaya, Vishnupad, Rajgir, Nalanda, Vaishali, and Pavapuri will also be connected with roads, besides the upcoming Darbhanga and Bihta airports, he said.
He laid the foundation stone of Unity Mall in Patna, which will be constructed at a cost of over Rs 200 crore, and provide a boost to the ‘One District, One Product’ project, and Geographical Indication (GI) products.
The project will promote local manufacturing and handicrafts from Bihar and signifies a new direction for the state, he said.
“We won’t let Bihar slip back into old times. This is a guarantee,” the prime minister said.
The project will have a significant socio-economic benefit in terms of employment generation, infrastructure development and exports from the state.
The road projects that were inaugurated include a 63.4-km-long two-lane Jaynagar-Narahia section of NH-227, a section of six-lane Patna Ring Road from Kanhauli to Ramnagar on NH-131G, a 3.2-km-long second flyover parallel to existing one in Kishanganj town, four-laning of 47-km-long Bakhtiyarpur-Rajauli road, and four laning of 55-km-long Arra-Parariya section of NH-319.
Besides, the PM laid the foundation stone for six National Highway projects, including the construction of a 55-km-long four-lane road from Amas to Shivrampur, a 54-km-long road from Shivrampur to Ramnagar, 47 km-long four-lane access-controlled greenfield highway from Kalyanpur to Balbhadarpur.
The 42 km-long four-lane greenfield road between Balbhadarpur and Bela Nawada, a 25 km-long elevated corridor from Danapur to Bihta Section, and the upgradation of the existing two lanes to a four-lane carriageway of Bihta-Koilwar section are among these projects.
These road projects will improve connectivity, reduce travel time, boost tourism and lead to socio-economic development of the region, he said.
Modi laid the foundation stone for a six-lane bridge over the Ganga river that will be developed as a part of Patna Ring Road. This will be one of the longest river bridges in the country.
This project will decongest traffic through Patna city and provide faster and better connectivity between the northern and southern parts of Bihar, promoting socio-economic growth in the entire region.
The PM dedicated to the nation three railway projects in Bihar — the doubling of Patliputra-Pahleza line, a 26-km-long new line between Bandhua and Paimar and a MEMU shed in Gaya.
He also laid the foundation stone of the Ara bypass rail line.
These rail projects will lead to better connectivity, improve line capacity and mobility of trains and boost industrial development in the region.